This has been a long battle between the people of Hawaii Kai and the biggest private trust in the United States. But it is over for now. I am grateful to the people of Hawaii Kai who came to the defense of the aesthetics, traffic congestion and wise land-use planning of their community. A shopping mall on the Great Lawn would have been the end of Hawaii Kai as we know it. Thank you, people of Hawaii Kai!

Secondly, I’m thankful to Kamehameha Schools for seeing, and finally believing, the handwriting on the wall through our past polls and the 300 plus people who came out to our town hall meeting to protest the proposed development with Foodland. Thank you KS/BE, but let’s make the ‘suspension’ of your shopping mall plans permanent; we’re still suspicious when we’re suspended.

Lastly, I’m thankful to Foodland and the great Sully Sullivan’s tradition of being a part of our community and never wanting to do something not in the community’s best interest. This year is their 65th anniversary since they opened their first store in Market City in 1948, and their behavior in this matter will continue to bless them throughout Hawaii. Thank you Foodland for living up to all that Sully stood for in his original plans for Foodland to be “community-focused and put customers first.”

Rep. Ward office will continue to monitor any development plans for the Great Lawn as he has done for the Ka Iwi coast since cabins were proposed for development there a few years ago.